The Charles Salomon Primary School (CSPS) was started in 2008 by HAM translator and eye technician, Jean Herard Charles, in the neighborhood of Baudin-Gros Sable in the city of Port-de-Paix on the north coast of Haiti. Healing Art Missions is the major funder for the school. You can read about the history of CSPS at this link. As of today, with a teaching and administrative staff of 35, there are 368 students attending Pre-K through 9th grade, and an additional 57 adults in the Adult Literacy program.
With the ongoing socio-political turmoil and violence in Haiti, Charles and the staff of the school have worked hard to create a safe space amongst the chaos for the students. Fortunately, Port-de-Paix has been mostly free of the gang activity that’s taking place in urban areas and on roadways. The school has been able to remain open and operating most days since the school year started in September. On May 17th, CSPS will celebrate Haitian Haiti Flag Day, where all the students in the school will participate in the annual parade wearing t-shirts designed and printed by the school’s English teacher. Also in May, the school’s soccer team will begin playing in competition. In June, 25 ninth-grade students will take their final exams, the government proficiency tests leading to graduation, and 28 students will graduate from kindergarten, entering grade school.
The goal of the Adult Literacy Program is to get the 57 adult students reading at the sixth-grade level. As such, classes are divided into four grade levels. This program began in 2014 when a group of parents of children going to CSPS requested a literacy program themselves as they were unable to help their children with homework and their studies.
HAM is proud of Charles and all the staff of CSPS who have worked so hard to create a sense of normalcy for the neighborhood children attending the school. Well done!